Is the Suzuki V-Strom 650 still a good bike? 

Its a fantastic bike for people who care what they think, not everyone else. Its also far too easy for people who don’t spend their own money on bikes to gripe and complain about what a simple bike it is. I’ve owned one of these now for 5 years, put 60,000 miles on it, and haven’t found anything else I like more and enough to justify the cost of those bikes. I love my VStrom. And I love it because I bought for me to ride and my enjoyment. Not someone else’s opinion who doesn’t pay for it.

Lets put it this way. Suzuki launched the Sv650 as a contender to the overpriced Ducati monster. All other manufacturers have since then copied the Sv650. Suzuki used the Sv650 engine to create the V-strom 650. All other manufacturers have since then copied the V-strom: These bikes are the gold standard in the middleweight class. Mic drop, Suzuki.

That's a perfect bike for people who dont't care about fancy things but they want a reliable machine! And it has a perfect price as well!

As someone who makes a living by fixing bikes,in their category i consider them to be at the top.Decent performance, good weight, easily tuneable,and reliable.Price is right for what it is

As a V-strom 650 owner, I am very happy with my purchases. Im on my sec one. My first V-bike retired with 238 000 kms on the odo. It never missed a beat. Took me everywhere, winter and summer.

One of the best motorcycles ever built. A legend.

Been riding long and hard on many bikes, at 70 I’m lucky enough to have a few. On a whim, in ‘09, I traded in my BMW RT for a new DL650 ‘Strom. I rode that Wee to break it, circumnavigated Baja mostly off pavement and plenty of single track. Never broke. Traded it for a new ‘12 which I unrepentantly thrashed - rode it from the tundra of Canada through Mexico to El Salvador. Couldn’t break it. Bought the new ‘15 fuginugly beak version, never intending to keep it. Still have it. Cumulatively, the three have suffered well over 300 000 kilometers. Good bike? That’s exactly what it is; not great, anaphylactic to hubris, certainly not a fashion statement. Just a damn good bike.

Dan mentioned the keyword here, and unfortunately its not something reviewers care much about: a workhorse. Many many riders are in the market for a workhorse bike, and the vstrom 650 is a classic in the genre.

As someone who has no interest in the 'tech' madness the display on the V Strom is perfect, everything of importance is clear and easy to see. The stock screen isn't the best, a GIVI Airflow is without doubt the best upgrade money can buy for these bikes, it's a game changer. The mirrors cause turbulence and can be changed for Halfords own for a pittance. The exhaust doesn't look great but unless you want to spend a fortune buying an Akrapovic or similar big name then don't change it. Delkevik and Black Widow options are well made but overly loud, in my opinion. Skip Suzuki panniers, they're a rip off and GIVI options can be bought much cheaper. It's a basic bike but it's brilliant and really well made. I'd buy a GS in a heartbeat but compare the reliability of them to a Suzuki which comes with a 3 year warranty and they simply don't compare. Oh, and yes I own one, it's my second V Strom.

The Vstrom series, having owned 3 and just bought a new 2022 XT1050 Adventure....truly are 2 of the greatest bikes in the world. They do about everything incredibly well and with great ease and aplomb. Run on 87 octane fuel and get incredible MPG's. And in almost 80,000 miles of Vstrom riding I have yet to even adjust a valve.

I purchased one this year, swapping from a Honda 750 NCX 2019. I find it an excellent bike. It is much more powerful than the Honda. I took it on a 2500 mile journey around Spain & France and it didn't miss a beat. No nonsense bike that handles well, is comfortable to ride(riding 7/8 hours a day) and the fuel consumption is excellent.

It’s one of those bikes that just fit. I have everything under the Sun, the Vstrom is a riders bike, not a would be GP riders bike or a posers bike. I have 4 bikes I put around 3k a year on each of that. My Vstrom has done that in a couple of months. It’s a pleasure to ride

I had a 12 plate strom from almost new (950 miles on it) it went out in all weather all year and the only thing it ever needed was tyres oil and 2 sets of spark plugs in 8 years and thousands of miles its quite likely the best bike I ever owned, and I've had lots of bikes if you can think of it I've owned it but that Suzuki was a winner Cheers

The first "big bike" I ever rode was my dad's '07 V-Strom and I greatly appreciated its simplicity, ease of use, and linear power. It sounds like an all-new one is in the pipeline, and I'm almost sad to see the original put out to pasture. Hopefully they keep that workhorse spirit.

Superb bike for people who don’t need to impress anyone. Plenty quick enough and handle great! Reliable and the biggest bike in the class is great for 6 foot plus riders. Love my 2019 and wont be tempted to change it anytime soon.

Just bought the 650XT a few weeks ago. Absolutely love the bike! Riding it is like floating on a cloud.

Just last week I rode mine 500 km in Germany, out of which were 300km on the Autobahn. It was a joyful experience. Enough power, reliable, good ergonomics and exactly 4.2 liters with me plus luggage at appr. 170kg payload. Ilove it. I took it up to 160km/h, frequently, didn't try the top speed, but at 160Km there was still enough room left. 120/130 is a very comfortable cruising speed on the autobahn and at that you are at the best sweet spot for max torque to be able ask for more any time you may want it.

I own a V-Strom 650DL 2010.... And she still good for me. My wife and I travel to several places and she takes us to whatever with comfort and ease. I have no complaints at all.

Well done Dan, that was a perfect review for what I needed to know. Stay safe buddy 🙏

My base model cost 4900 pounds brand new with 5 year warranty. Canada was the place to buy em in 2018. It is a great bike for touring 2 lane roads, especially if you want to just enjoy the ride rather than rocket through the country. A faithful travelling horse.

Very good review - Thank you . I have the 2020 model in the same colour and have done 7692 miles in just under 2 years. Weekend riding , 2 day a week 120 mile round trip commute, 2 tours 500 mile +. You are absolutely right that its not a sexy thrill seeker bike but for me , its been a perfect machine that somehow carves a special place in your heart simply by how competent and reliable it is. It took me a few rides to get use to the throttle and engine braking (which i love now) and found that using E5 fuel is a great improvement. My commute is 61 miles each way (40 on motorway and 21 through outer and inner London) keeps up with traffic with easy and plenty of shove to pass trucks in a hurry. Filtering in London is easy too. Long trips(5 hours ,2 short stops) no problem at all. Pillion.. what pillion ... I've lowered the foot pegs, put a Givi screen on replace the hallway sized mirrors with something more aerodynamic. That alone made a big difference to wind noise and dirty airflow. Your brain may find this bike easy to upgrade , but there will certainly be a fight with your heart. Its that kind of bike

I have that exact bike. It's not the funnest bike in my garage but it's definitely the most versatile. I had it well offroad this summer and it did pretty well for a bike of its weight. Test rides are pretty much not a thing here in Michigan. The dealerships tell me it's an insurance thing, too many idiots were dropping brand new bikes while on test rides and now the insurance won't allow them. Even the people who work at the dealership aren't allowed to ride new bikes. Not sure about used ones. I guess the up side is the last 2 bikes that I bought, I rode them away with 0 miles on the odometer.

I have a 2014 and i love it. It does everything I want it to do reliability and comfortably.

`Mirrors like Dennis Taylors' glasses'...a whole mouthful of coffee is now dripping down my computer screen; brilliant! :)))

Some bikes are just built to work. The V-Strom is such a bike. I had a late (2010) gen 1 version, extend the mirrors out, change the screen and ride all day.

That engine is a little gem. Ridiculously smooth for a v twin. It spins up beautifully and it performs very good for a 650.

I got one today 2023 model first time on a vstrom i hope i will love it like u guys....

I love the sound she makes when you stop accelerating,its got a great tone, just love it!

Still a brilliant bike. My 2019 is the same as the latest 2022 model apart from new colours and I love it

I really enjoy your out look on motorcycles mate. More down to earth that all the other vloggers going on about how everything needs 200bhp, and a million electronic and TFTs, half of which is never used by the owners. When did motorcycles go from being about the joy of riding to being the bike being a fashion accessory? I only disagree about the MT07, i rode 1, and walked away cold. keep up the good work.

It's a fantastic bike , what you said is right people compare bike on spec sheets but still don't see the weight difference between Versys and this bike 😜. I sold my Ninja 1000 and bought this bike and very happy with this bike .

Great vid! I’m close to buying an L4 model as my first bike. I’m Excited to be owning one, and feel good about my decision! 🙏👍

It's a fantastic bike. I had a 2015 that I always regret selling. It was very smooth and comfortable to ride despite it feeling heavy for me.

Owned a 2012 DL650 and loved it. Now I have a 2014 DL1000. Enjoy both a great deal. They are both awesome bikes. If you want to do more serious off roading you can upgrade the suspension and have a more dependable offroad bike for a lower price than a GS. The Suzuki Vtwin will run over 100,000 miles with ease. And, the Suzuki is lighter than the GS by 85lbs.

That motor has been around since 1999, from the original SV650, which I still have, it has gone through many upgrades and is as tough a motor as you can get. Suzuki don't follow the fad of changing the color and calling it a new model.

I had it for a test ride, XT version. Yes it is a good bike, easy to ride, very good motor, basic offroad capability, i had instant trust in it and in yellow it looks great. Unfortunately some things were missing like quickshifter, LED lights and a dealer who is not more than an hour away from me.

Nice timing with your review Dan. Finished running in my XT yesterday. Really pleased with it. The standard screen is adjustable (with an Allen key) but I’ve changed to a Givi Airflow which, for me, has made a real difference. I did try the Versys which is a bit sportier. 17in wheels and bit more urgency in the engine. I prefer the smooth power of the Vstrom though.

You could have told me this was a 2006 model and I would have believed you.

There was a Japanese guy who rode Vstrom 650 from Tokyo to Istanbul Turkey, then all the way to Europe (I think he got all the way to Portugal). You can find him on RU-vid: Hirokichi Sekai. There isn't many bike that can do that. Hats off to this masterpiece.

Just got my first V-Strom (a 2004), and can't wait to ride Canada's open roads. These narrow laneways in England are terrifying!

I owned a 2010 Suzuki VStrom, K9 which was the best looking of the bunch imo with the big cat eyes, and the GT model so I had the hand-guards, colour marched, branded panniers and topbox etc. It was absolutely fantastic and I can definitely see myself owning another. Competent, reliable and it remains the most comfortable bike I've ever ridden by a country mile, and I've had cruisers and stuff since then. It was also economical too. Coming back from a camping trip I filled up in the Brecons in Wales, rode all the way back to Lincolnshire, fully laden with full luggage and tents etc, and then to work the next day, before finally filling up on the commute home. It averaged almost 70mpg, even with the city stuff at the end. What more could you ask for?

Great review thanks. I have a '19 model and like it a lot for many of the reasons you state. It's a great simple, comfortable, reliable bike that's easy to work on and cheap to maintain and run. It makes a great camera platform for my channel too, as there's loads of room under the seat for electronics, and plenty of options for attaching cameras in various positions. For the money I think it's a great bike. Throttle does need a bit of practice to get used to. Fork dive is noticeable, especially loaded up with boxes and camping kit, or the Mrs. I fitted after market pre load adjusters which helped some, upgraded springs are well priced online too. Off road it'll get you there but can't compete with the T7 for ride quality and handling. Taking the ABS fuse out off road helps a lot. I stuck 2500 miles on it in a week including some offroad riding on Conti TKC 80's and it did everything I asked of it very well. Loads of good value options available online to make it more bike too if you require. I am looking forward to the new one that's reported to be in development for a '24 release. It'll need to be bloody good to compete with this one for a good number of reasons though, and to properly compete with the T7 it really needs 21/18 wheels and much better suspenders. Cheers 👍

This is a great creation, good information, fantastic, thank you.

im considering to upgrade from a cb500x to a v-strom650. For touring i think this bike suits me better.

I’ve got a 91k mile first gen V-Storm. The only spot the wee lacks is the big highway especially if you have side panniers with lots of heavy gear.

I had a '83 Suzuki GS 650GL (shaft drive) for 16 years. It was a dependable ride. I'm not sure why more mid-size bike don't have a shaft drive. I like the basics in a bike as more tech means more (expensive) problems.

Maybe it's because of the asymmetrical dash or the go pro mount being off but around the 11 minute mark the handle bars looked a bit bent. Great review as always. Suzuki sells an air cooled 250 CC version of this bike here in my country but they use GSXR 250 frame for it instead of the regular V stroms.

Awesome review brother 👏 👍 🙌 Planning to buy between two Cb500x or v strom 650xt Still couldn't finalise it. You review helped lot

If it's not broken why fix it...it's a great bike in its present format

In 2018 I rode around the world, two up on my V strom. 43,000 miles and no reliability issues. Super comfy and 260 miles to a tankful.

Nice review , thank you

I own the 2022 model since June - and I just love it. It seems, this bike is riding by itself so easy and smooth. So, you can focus on the street and the surrounding. Tried a Tiger 660, but it took 2 min. to find the neutraul - that was ist. Also like the mirrors....

As an owner of a 2022 VStrom 650 I think it's the perfect bike version of a pickup truck. It does most of what you need a bike to do. Glad I have it before they decide to replace the model with something else.

I’ve had my 2011 since new , 26,500 miles thus far ( I have 2 other bikes) the V Strom has been super reliable , I’ve taken it from Butte MT to Denver a few times , no problem . I put a different exhaust can and a V Stream windshield on mine . It’s my go to long haul bike .

I've noticed now that some places are selling these brand new for £5999 and the XT version as shown here for £6699. What a bargain! I'm still a few grand short though :(

Thx for the comparison to the 500x v useful information 👌

"hello there. "Hello there!"" LMAO. I'm currently taking my license here in Norway, and its been on a kawasaki z650 which is too small for me (6'4/192cm). On some exercises I got to try the V-strom 650 and I gotta say, it really felt like a fantastic bike. It feels reasonably fast considering the hk/weight. Great ergonomics, very easy handling bike. For taller people where most 650cc bikes will be too small, this seems like a fantastic machine considering the money and practicality of it. Love it!

I’ve owned sport bikes, super sports, and small and large cruisers. I wish I would have purchased my current 2019 VStrom 650 much sooner. Would have saved myself so much money on bikes that never made me as happy as this bike does. Great fuel range. Bullet proof engine. Does it all. My only complaint is the seat, but I have yet to own a bike where that wasn’t a complaint lol. With all my past bikes, within a year I was already looking at what might be my next bike. I’m a month away from 2 years and almost to 20k miles and I’m just not interested in any other bikes. I hit a Yama, Suzuki/kawa, and triumph/Indian shops today, and nothing was pulling me away from the VStrom. After that trip, I picked up fresh oil and came home, did an oil change, cleaned the bike and went on a long ride and never once thought about those other bikes. I love this bike. I think I’ll keep it for a while.

No, it's a great bike. Had a '17 gen 3 and just bought a '22 650 Adventure. Not one problem in 5 years 40k miles on my '17. Wanted the XT model- the reason for the trade. 60 mpg US , handles great, and power is excellent for a 650.Talked to a tech and he said one DL 650 had 300k miles on original engine. I doubt it's replacement will be as bulletproof. Oh yeah, one thing did fail on the '17. Low beam bulb.

Great Review

I have one! It does everything and more. I test Some bigger bikes gs , multi 950 tiger 900. But for the price its hard to beat!

Very enjoyable video 👍

Dan these are all great videos, but we are still waiting for the one where you tell us why the SV vs it's competitors ;)

Have the same bike April 2021!! Currently have 14000 Sep 2022. This bike is really a Swiss Army knife. Put some Shad hard cases on it and I go everywhere.

Good review. Thanks

We will see when the new P-Strom comes out, if this bike is outdated. They are legendary in the longevity, reliability and quality. I have a 2002 model with nearly 80,000 miles on it and it always impresses me with it's capability, comfort and power.

There is another bonus with vstroms they are always discounted heavily and there brilliant on fuel😁

Great looking bike great color sounds nice

I am on my second 650 V Strom, just part exchanged my 2015 model with 52k miles for a 2023 model. Great bikes. I did a lot of touring on the 2015 model and the new bike has already been to Wales. I noticed you were riding in my neck of the woods - in an around Farnborough/Farnham.

Hey Dan, great honest review thank you for that. You did a video on Tiger 850 and I wonder how would you compare the 2, would you spend the extra money?

If you are big then the v Strom is the better bike - at 6’3 the v Strom is fine but the competition is cramped.

Suzuki mad now Dan 😆 this SV's look class, white and blue 👌

It is, i want one now👊🏼🙂🔥🔥🔥

this week i am literally thinking about buying this bike and you come up with this vid. what are the chances😂

i have an MT-10, and its a bit of a handful in bad weather, this could be a good second bike, cheers mate

The V-Strom 650 is one of the most comfortable bikes out there regardless of price. That is a big deal if you are riding long distance. I prefer the handling of my 500F and the brakes (with EBC HH pads) but everytime I sit on a Strom 650 I really miss my V-Strom. But At age 70 I don't do the long days I used to.

I have a 2006 and I love it.

Thanks for mentioning the 500X. I think this might be better for me. More comfortable and a bit more power. I’ve seen a second hand one 2011 with only 2000km for 8000 AUD.

Love this bike because it’s my bike. But for me is perfect. ❤

11000 km this summer with my 650XT. I can drive more than 500 km without getting numb. Also maintenance costs are low in this bike.

Enjoyed the review and the comparison to the Honda 500 is interesting. However, my own comparison when purchasing in this class (coming from BMW RT) was The VStrom 650 vs Honda NC750X (vs Tracer 07 vs Versys 650). That's a fairer comparison, I would say in my opinion. I had my eyes set on the VStrom and certainly it had a lot going for it, not least with a pillion theres a bit more room, but the NC is hard to beat and both are more relaxed, like the VStrom. That said, I know the CB500X is a great bike, just struggling against these other four.

suzuki doesn't need to update their bikes often because they have great promos and an immense dealer/servicer network. My town doesn't have a pizza place, but it has a suzuki powersports parts dealer. now admitably it's mainly for atvs, dirt bikes, and outboards, but they got the numbers and the catelogs

This bike is very good. Thats why its so popular still. 😊🇳🇴

cs fantastic bike. I don’t get the hype with all the tech. I actually like that this bike has an analog tach. It’s actually readable and the dash on the tracer 7 is not great on a sunny day. I recently test rode a bunch of bikes in this segment and I liked the Vstrom the best. The kawasaki is not it in so many ways. The engine is quite boring and the suspension is too weak and it’s too small for anyone over 6ft The yamaha feels like it needs to prove something. It’s small and lightweight and has a really revvy engine with can get quite annoying during touring. Sure it’s quicker and tries to feel sporty but the suspension is quite spongy, like the mt07 The vstrom is a nice middleground and the suspension is not modern, but it also doesn’t feel like it was designed for a tiny japanese man under 70kg’s like on the kawasaki and yamaha The engine is quite calm, but has more grunt down low compared to the kawasaki and it doesn’t really feel like it has any less grunt than the t7 for some reason. Could be due to the linearity of the torque curve. The mt07 torque curve is quite weird in some specific rev ranges. Also, the seat is god tier

A lot of people missing the point. People buy cars when they want a workhorse. The sales figures simply do not bear out that bikers want a workhorse. Maybe they do if they have just one bike and need it for everything but the vast majority of bikers, certainly in the UK, are 3K miles a year fun riders. The other crucial difference is that people generally buy a bike with their heart rather than their head. There’s nothing wrong with the V Strom, other than charging 2022 money for a 2010 bike. Suzuki have been here before, with exchange rates making cheap bikes expensive and a lack of genuinely new products resulting in many dealers dropping the brands as they had so many unsold bikes. Yamaha had the same issue but re-invented themselves pretty successfully. My last Suzuki was a GSX1250 and there’s basically nothing newer in this bike (ironically that bike with nearly double the capacity, retailed foe less than this. Ike does now when last on sale a few years ago). At £7K it’s a bargain. At nearly £9K it’s overpriced very old tech. Did I mention it’s fugly too? ;)

I like that they used the aluminum frame!

Dennis Taylor’s glasses 😂 LOL. Never forget that famous match where he misses and the umpire goes “Nowwww” with surprise.

Nice review & a decent bike despite what anyone says. Not sexy, but decent. You can get them heavily discounted too. Spy shots of the new one surfaced a few days ago. Looks like the 1050, has inverted forks & a 700cc parallel twin engine. Hopefully it also has a 270° crank to give it some character.

LED headlights get you noticed more but often don't offer the complete illumination a clear optic halogen unit can. LEDs are very focused and the cold colour removes depth perception too. I like Suzuki sticking to the halogens - just make sure you put an upgrade bulb in.

I was close to buying one, but I ended up with a 2022 BMW 1250 R/T...The V-Strom actually makes more sense..Dollors and Sense!

'Hello There' Love my Vstrom XT as well, bought brand new this year 2020 model, have done 8k on it this summer and loved every moment, the buffeting would be my only complaint, still working the best solution for that, Bought a National Vstream Screen and made a difference but still has some buffeting, doesn't help that I am 6'2". Overall the bike gets me where I need to go in decent speed and capability. Great review.

It looks almost like a perfect motorcycle, I like it

Hi, Nice review, wat kind of jacket you wear, wat i dan See i like the material, Gerets from Holland

As an owner of a V Strom 650 XT, I must say its a bike that really DOES a lot. Highway, twisties, city, 2 up, and in my case, quite a lot of off pavement stuff. Sure, brakes are not that good (somewhat fixable with better brake pads) and ground clearance could be better, but none of those are deal-breakers for me. That being said, Suzuki is actually preparing an update. Judging from the spy shots, its a 700cc parallel twin (P-Strom hahaha), and looks more off road capable. But I doubt it will do as much as current one.

Sup guys! Just picked mine full black cast wheel V-Strom for EUR 8300 with GIVI V37 panniers. Well. 🤡Ugly mirrors they say 👉🏻literally my back eyes.🤠 🤡Boring engine they say 👉🏻 enough juice down low, responsive mids, 0 vibrations at high revs.🤠 🤡Ugly design they say 👉🏻 looks great in low-key black. Steady heartbeat leaving it at the places Ive never been to, cause we don't flex, we travel.🤠 🤡No TFT they say 👉🏻 a big revs counter, a gear count and a speedometer. Minimal interaction with the menu control to check on the ride data.🤠 🤡Dated suspension and handling they say 👉🏻 the only bike in its category which can go off-road and does it with dignity.🤠 🤡Weak breaks they say 👉🏻 enough for legal road speeds, no need to Valentino Rossi during your Alpine trips, enjoy the view instead!🤠 Well, as you can see it's you who up to decide which bike suits you better, there is no ideal bike. For 2 up travel needs it pays off every penny. Literally the cheapest middle adventure bike. EUR 2000 cheaper than Tracer 7, Versys 650 o Tiger Sport 660... There is no problem to be subjective, choose what makes you feel happy and suits your needs. Best engine? Tiger Sport 660 Best handling? Tiger Sport 660 Best fuel-economy? V-Strom 650 Best road comfort? V-Strom 650 Best design? Versys 650 Best braking? Tiger Sport 660 Best wind protection? Versys 650 Tourer Plus - V'Strom 650 Best 2 up travel option? - V-Strom 650

Hi Dan, interesting what you said about spoked wheels being right for off-road use. Is that because cast wheels are not good for harder or off-road applications?

I rode a 500X for 5000 miles and found it woefully underpowered . Anything above 70 was beyond it's ability. I traded for a VStrom and rode it for two years but was always challenged by the tall seat height. This year I traded up to a Triumph 850 Sport and found that to be perfect for me. The power from the triple is amazing. It'll cruise at 95 mph without a thought.

new Suzuki 700 parallel twin Motor next year, this is the durable 90 degree 650 V-Twins last year, get them while you can !!!

If you need more excitement, get the SV650. Good video. Would have been nice if you mentioned how tall you are. Thank you.......Sal : )

My 2014 has just under 40k on it, I use it loads